Sunday, December 24, 2006

Catra's 42 hour b-day run.....WHy????? that's always the question I get. I say why not! I love to challenge myself that's why I always do a birthday challenge http://www.birthdaychallenge.com I'm not normal so i like the hours with the age thing.

The morning was cold, and wet. it was raining a bit. I met my friend Julia at 5am. Joe and Mylinh would meet us on Mission peak later.The run on the first day was uneventful.Julia turned around 20 miles into it.It was getting very cold in the Del Valle area on the way back. I had to leave Mylinh & joe because I needed to run fast to keep warm. My pants were at my resupply in Sunol mile 52, At that point I would have aid every 10 miles.at 9:30pm I met up with Jerry who came out to meet me. At 12:30am I would meet up with Padma & Krin(sp?) Padma wanted to do a night run she's training for Rocky Raccoon 100. We took off from Jerry's after hot soup at around 1am. I needed to be back to the MP parking lot at 8am for a group of Bay Area runners that are called barfies.I hooked up with a group of 12 and my friend Michele. We headed up the peak and soon the group took off. Michele stayed with me, we had fun chatting and me showing her my trails.Michele had to turn around at mile 6. I headed to Sunol alone.I met up with EB regional Parks police. Last year they harassed me for being out there, even though it was ok'd by the parks.This year the officer was so friendly saying he was looking for me, and wanted to know that I was ok through the night and how I was feeling.I was happy to know they we're looking out for my safety, and he even said he was proud of me.

I headed back to Fremont to hook up with my friend Ben at 3pm. He was with me the last three days of my Sierra 511 miler this past Summer.He loves to talk so i knew he would be perfect for that section.We met up and headed out the weather was looking ugly, like a storm was brewing.Ben had to take off to Sunol by 6;30 so he had to leave my slow, sorry ass out alone.I headed slowly down to Sunol. Heading back the weather was looking scarry.My friend Dominic text me he couldn't come out to meet me. I was at a low point and that just intensefied my feelings. Sad, lonely and scarred. it was dusk and I was seeing things. I saw a huge flash in the sky. I thought it was a UFO coming to take me away to a far away Planet to become the Queen.....Back to reality..The flash was trippy. I thought it was my handheld LED light that made the flash.I heard thunder and then I panicked. Where the hell is Jerry. he said he's come back tonight...Call Jerry..Panic Jerry where are you!!!! No answer. I ran, and ran. I called again, I was getting really delerious. DUDE WHERE the hell are you!!!

I'm heading towards the peak I see a LED light coming at me. Jerry is that you??? DUH, who else would be out there. Of course it's Jerry.I told him about the flash in the sky...We see weird clouds forming above. We both see the flash. I really wasn't delerious, well maybe just a wee bit!Two more times we see the flash, we head quickly off the Peak. I'm so happy I will not be climbing Mission peak again. I have less than 5 hours to go.I decide to go the back way to Ohlone college on the trail than wander the streets of Fremont and check out the Million dollar homes the last couple hours.At one point I climbed into a little cave and just wanted to stay there and go to sleep.We headed down into Fremont and made our way to Starbucks for a Tazo tea, Om was the one we had. We took ours to go. Well they sorta kicked us out since they were closing when we got there.I told the guy working what I was doing, running/hiking for 42 hours. i don't think he got it!It was so cold out, withen 10 min. the tea was cold.We wondered the streets the last couple hours. Made it back with a couple min. to spare so wandered the parking lot a couple min.I was happy I did it once again. I set a goal and reached it.Thanks to everyone who send me vibes and emailed , called, and text me during my 42 hour journey.Can't wait to do it all over again next year! 43 hours.I said i would never do it again, run hours for my age. The next day I was already planning it in my head.Oh, this was also my 50th 100 mile run. In the end I ran, hiked , crawled and moved forward 122 mile.Happy Holidays

13 comments:

Amazing report! Such an inspiration. I wish I could have met you out at Javelina Jundred in November! I was out there pacing Michael Hayden through the night and I saw you a couple of times. Congrats again on the successful birthday challenge!

Thanks! I do want to run HR. I know I could finish it that's not the problem. I have been in the races twice but never got to start. 2002 it was cancelled and 2003 I broke my ulna on El Cap and couldn't run it!And well every year I'm on The JMT during HR. 2007 PCT. Maybe 2008 Hardrock & Badwater.

I'm usually not afraid. I'm more afraid of running the roads at 10pm than running the trails alone at 10pm.You learn to understand and listen to sounds of nature and know you are safe. I say the animals are my Angels on the trail and they watch my back.Catra

I'm hoping to get in HR08. Maybe we'll meet?I think I should apply this year, 'cuz I probably won't get in and next year will bump me up to higher priority on the list.But if I somehow made it this year - SURPRISE! I guess I'd go for it.Your 42-hour BDay run was awesome.I'll be 48 in 2008, so maybe HR will be my 48-hour run? but 5 months after my BDay.Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.

CONGRATS on your bday challenge. That's how I found your journal, BTW, being a friend of Steve who started the challenge idea. He's a great guy, maybe you've met him?

Any way, great to see you keeping it up. I need to do another challenge next year. I did one a few years back, but have been a lazy bum since the kids came along!

Funny story, I think the BDC sort of morphed out of 4 or 5 of us hanging around talking about movies one day at college. I bring up Cool Hand Luke. We get to talking about the 50 eggs scene. Somehow it becomes a challenge to Steve by another friend Neal to eat a bunch of eggs. But how many? I don't know how they came upon the idea, but Steve was challenged to eat 32, or 33 I think, the number of his age (he wasn't a student, he ran a store in the college town of Isla Vista). Sure enough, Steve ate all them eggs, in a single hour! One of the greatest eating feats I know of.

Just got caught up on your blog. You continue to inspire. Your 100s, multi-day trail runs, total milage, and positive attitude. I am pacing a friend at Western States 100 this year and hope to meet you if you're there. My Dad was running his Bday age in miles every year until he turned 68. Now he runs 100 minus his age (22 miles this year he turned 78). He has always inspired me. I'm hoping the weather is better tomorrow for the Western Washington Fat Ass.

Amazing, as usual. You make it sound so casual I doubt most people have any idea just how friggin' HARD it is to run for that long. It's hard just to stay awake that long, much less standing, not to mention running. Faaaaaantastic!

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Rocky Ridge

It's all about Ultrarunning

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I am an Ultrarunner. I love to run, my favorite distance is 100 miles. My running takes me to many beautiful places. Life is too short to sit around.
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